Fergie desperate to twist the knife

Nothing gets the Manchester United manager’s juices flowing quite like a clash against their deadliest rivals

Sometimes, when he takes issue with a question, you get "the Fergie stare", and a guttural sound that is the hairdryer's starting motor. Other times, in a good mood, Sir Alex Ferguson just laughs.

He was asked on Friday, given how much he cherishes Manchester United's rivalry with Liverpool, whether part of him would like them to win a title so that the rivalry could blossom fully. "You must be joking!" Ferguson hooted. "Do I look like I'm a sadist and I want to hurt myself? How does relegation sound? Bloody hell . . ."

Anfield is the place on earth where Ferguson enjoys winning most. "Absolutely," he agreed. Three years without a league victory against their enemy, Liverpool ache to defeat United today, "but it's not a one-way street", Ferguson continued. "Just as Liverpool are desperate to beat us, we're desperate to beat them. Historically, geographically, the two most successful clubs in